1. Hylomorphism
  2. Scripture
  3. 2 Maccabees
  4. Purification of the Temple

Purification of the Temple

1 Now Maccabeus, and his company, the Lord guiding them, recouered the Temple, and the citie.

2 But the altars, which the heathen had built in the open street, & also the Chappels they pulled downe.

3 And hauing cleansed the Temple, they made another Altar, and striking stones, they tooke fire out of them, and offered a sacrifice after two yeeres, & set forth incense, & lights, and Shewbread.

4 When that was done, they fell flat downe, and besought the Lord that they might come no more into such troubles: but if they sinned any more against him, that he himselfe would chasten them with mercie, and that they might not bee deliuered vnto the blasphemous, and barbarous nations.

5 Now vpon the same day that the strangers prophaned the Temple, on the very same day it was cleansed againe, euen the fiue and twentieth day of the same moneth, which is Casleu.

6 And they kept eight dayes with gladnes as in the feast of the Tabernacles, remembring that not long afore they had helde the feast of the Tabernacles, when as they wandered in the mountaines, and dennes, like beasts.

7 Therefore they bare branches, and faire boughes and palmes also, and sang Psalmes vnto him, that had giuen them good successe in clensing his place.

8 They ordeined also by a common statute, and decree, That euery yeere those dayes should be kept of the whole nation of the Iewes.

9 And this was the ende of Antiochus called Epiphanes.

10 Now will wee declare the acts of Antiochus Eupator, who was the sonne of this wicked man, gathering briefly the calamities of the warres.

11 So when he was come to þe crowne, he set one Lysias ouer the affaires of his Realme, and [appointed him] chiefe gouernour of Coelosyria and Phenice.

12 For Ptolomeus that was called Macron, chosing rather to doe iustice vnto the Iewes, for the wrong that had bene done vnto them, endeuoured to continue peace with them.

13 Whereupon being accused of [the kings] friends, before Eupator, & called traitor at euery word, because he had left Cyprus that Philometor had cōmitted vnto him, & departed to Antiochus Epiphanes; and seeing that hee was in no honorable place, he was so discouraged, that he poysoned himselfe and died.

